Turn-about fishing garment



Sept. 13, 1955 w. H. BRACKEN 2,717,391

TURN-ABOUT FISHING GARMENT Filed eb- 952 2 Sheets--Sheet l INVENTOR W4 [Zace fifirac/Yezz.

Sept. 13, 1955 w. H. BRACKEN 2,717,391

TURN-ABOUT FISHING GARMENT Filed Feb. 26, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Wzlzace ff. Bracle n.

TURN-ABOUT nrsnnso cans mm Wallace H. Bracken, Carlisle, Pa., assignor, by mesne assignments, to The American Pad & Textile Co., Green- The present invention relates to fishing garments, especially of the character suitable for fishing under di} versified conditions. i

A purpose of the invention is to provide front and ba k panels free from attachment along the sides, with connecting shoulder straps so that either panel can'be brought to the front and the other to the back without taking the garment off over the head.

A further'purpose is to interconnect the front and back panelsat the shoulders by loops passing through rings; so that as the body shifts and the centerof gravity on" the load on the panels changes, the loops will readjust automatically through the rings and allow'the garment to remain comfortable to the user.

' A further purpose is to interconnect the panels to the waist of the user by tie cords which may permissibly interrelate the panels around the waist.

A further purpose is to mount a shelf on one of the panels by a hinge, to raise the shelf to a position against the body, and to lower the shelf to an outwardly eX- tending position while limiting the shelf againstfurthe'r downward movement.

' A further purpose is to interconnect the panel above the shelf to the shelf by a limiter strap and preferably to place the fastener element at an intermediate point on the limiter strap for engagement with a fastener element on the shelf to hold the shelf in raised position, thus making the strap perform a double function as] a limiter and a fastener.

' A further purpose is to support the load of the outwardly extending shelf on a bulging pocket beneaththe shelf. i I

A further purpose is to mount a pocket on the outer (lower) side of the shelf. 7

A further purpose is to provide hook fasteners around the lower edges of both panels and cooperating hook fasteners on a fish creel so that the creel can be mounted horizontally on either panel or both panels or can trail from either panel.

Further purposes appear in the specification and in the claims.

In the drawings I have chosen to illustrate one only ofthe numerous embodiments in which my invention may appear, selecting'the' forms shown 'fromthe 'sjtarjdisa msor'convenience in' 'illus't'r'ation, satisfactory operation and clear 'demonsnnionbrme principles involved.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the turn-about of the present invention positioned with the panel used in fly fishing placed forward, with phantom showing of the prospective contents of various pockets. The shelf is in lowered position.

Figure 2 is a view corresponding to Figure 1 but with the turn-about reversed to show the side used in bait fishing and with the fish creel trailing.

Figure 3 is a front elevation, partly broken, showing the panel used in fly fishing at the front, with the shelf folded up, the creel attached in horizontal position and United States Patent ice 2 the lower corner of one panel turned back to show one of thehookfastenersf" Figure '4 is "an end invention with the creel'inf horizontal positionhttaclied to t'hepanel used in 'bait fi shingf A Figure 5 is *a"fragmentaryperspectiye of the shelf in closedposititin." i Figure 6 is a fragmentary section on the line of 3. v p a s.- Des'cribing in illustration but not in limitation and referring to the drawings:

The invention is'coniierned particularly with the provision o'f' a garment suitable for use by spoi ting'fish' "en, tocarry in separate complete kits the equipment re ulrj'ed fon't wo different types of fishing "and top'ei-mi nv'e'hient change of the equiprnentin'" active use without undhe'trouble to' the user'. For e i ar iplq'one kit may be stocked for fiy fishing and anotherfo'r bait fishing, or one quipmen't'may"bestocked for fishing from I oat a nd a'nother for wading." Similarly equipmeht for 'tr' ollin g be k'eptin one kit and equipment r bottom fishing ma he kept in another kit. i 1

In accordance with the invention, a garment is provided similar to a sleeveless jacket except that it has no sides, zi'ndfis' therefore very cool and comfortable, and al so qiiickly reversible without taking it Ofbvfthdhtxd of shifting arrhs throfigh' arm' holes. rbrebnveninee iiig, panel is here designated the front p'anetand anel 'is"desigiiated'the rearpahel, although the'we will freely reverse"when desired'andeitheir pa y be wornas the front'and the other 'as' the'backi Each of the panels has a'neck r cent: in'thef middle of the tsp-anaemia panel has" arni' recesses 23 corresponding to the shoulder positions, and widens out at 245a ng -"",\I I "-"At"the shoulders one of the panels, suitably the front panel, has rings" 25 secured theretoand" theringsiec'eive 1669s 26su'itablyof fabric webbiiigjthe ends dfflie loopslbein'g secured at transversely spacedpoints 27 "to thetither panel? Thus theloo ps extend' overf t he shouldersand are independent of"e'ach other and whenthe user moves around or bends over, there1atioris of the two paiiels canktiang by the "webbingsindependently movingiharidout throughthe'rings 25. At the bottom of each panel and suitably running through a hem 27a is atie'cord28 long enough to eii 'n'd beyond thep'a'nel to ass aroundthewaist and tie*orto intertie' with the tie cord on the other panel; "The" front panelis provided with suitable pockets to hol'dthe"desired gear. 'Eyelets'30 are provided fatone cer'n'er',"to'whtch a" spoon 'fo'r' the like .31 is secured. deep socket pock'et is provided at32to receive a bottl'e'3 3 to "holds'wivelsand other smar'cpiapon nrsf cushion 34 is's'ec ed ove' r the'clenter of'tliepanel to pe engage'in'earet'se arate hooks. A shelf hi edly cdnne'cted at 36th 'the'pa'n'el, a'ndfolds between at ed position as shown in Figures 3and '5' and a lowered horizontal position as shown in Figures 1 and4. -"'The"'shelfohits. nner facehas loops'3'l. to receive lures or the like and a eushign 38. to engage hObk l; On the outside newer side) of the shelf a pocket 40 is positioned, closed by a flap 41 held in place by snap fastener elements 42. The pocket 40 may hold leaders 43, while flies 44 may be positioned on the cushion 38 and lures 45 be located in the loops 37. r

The shelf is restricted to a right angle downward movement by limiter strap 46 secured at the upper end at 47 to the panel 20 near the top center of the panel and secured at the lower end at 4.8 to the shelf.

Intermediate the ends of the limiter strap is a snap fastener element 50 which closes on a cooperating snap fastener element 51 on the front of the pocket when the elevation of the turn-about of the shelf is raised to hold the shelf in upper position as shown in Figure 5. Below the shelf and suitably in position to be contacted by the shelf is a pocket 52 closed by a flap 53 and extending clear across the width of the shelf. Snap fastener elements 54 hold the flap down on the pocket. The pocket is intended to hold a box 55 or other bulging object so that the bulge pocket will extend out in supporting engagement beneath the shelf and avoid excessive pull on the limiter as best seen in Figure l.

On opposite sides of pocket 52 are pockets 56 and 57 closed by flaps 58 and 60 respectively. Between the pockets 52 and 57 is loop 61 suitably detachable by provision of snap fastener engagement at 62 at one end, and holding the fishing pole 63.

The panel 21 may suitably be equipped for bait fishing. Aloe p 64 extends down from the neck of the panel and carries a ring 65, which may suitably be employed to hold a landing net 66. A water proof pocket 67 is placed in the center of the panel, closed by flap 68, and adapted to contain articles which should be kept dry such as cigarettes 70 and lunch 71.

Double pockets 72 are placed below on one side, double pockets 73 on the other side and a large central pocket 74 is located between the double pockets. These pockets are closed by flaps 75, 76 and 77 and may suitably contain a bottle 78 for small tackle items, a jar 80 for similar equipment, a tackle box 81 and bait 82.

Each of the panels has running along its lower edge, at the inside, a series of male hook elements 83. These cooperate in spacing with a series of female hook elements 84 on the upper edge of a fish creel 85. The creel 85 is a bag having a waterproof side 86 adapted to be against the body of the user and an opposing netting side 87 which will allow the water to get in when the fisherman is wading. An access opening 88 suitably runs along the netting side and double slide fasteners 90 open from either end, suitably closing this opening.

The creel may be positioned horizontally by mounting all of the creel hook connections on the hook connections of either panel as indicated in Figures 3 and 4, or it may .be mounted on the side of the body with one or more hook connections attached to each of the panels, or it maytrail,

keeping the fish below Water as the fisherman wades as suggested in Figure 2, where only one set of hook connections are engaged.

It will be evident that the device of the invention may be utilized for any of a wide variety of fishing applications, and that the user can change from one application to another by simply reversing the turn-about. Where the side having the shelf is used, the shelf can be brought down into horizontal position to select, change, or attach flies or other tackle, and raised out of the way very quickly modifications to meet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident to others skilled in the art, to obtain all or part of the benefits of my invention without copying the structure shown, and I, therefore, claim all such insofar as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scope of my claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a fishing garment, a panel, a shelf hingedly connected to the panel, a bulging pocket beneath the shelf and supporting the same in open position, a strap conneeted at one end to the shelf and to the other end to the panel above the shelf to serve as a limiter, a fastener at an intermediate position on the strap and a cooperating fastener on the shelf which engages the fastener on the strap and holds the shelf in raised position.

2. In a fishing garment, front and back panels, flexible connections between said panels at the sides of their upper edges, a fishing creel, and fastener elements located at spaced points along the lower edge of each panel, and cooperative fastener elements located at spaced points along the upper edge of the creel whereby the creel can be selectively mounted on either panel in a horizontal position, or in a horizontal position extending across from one panel to the other, or hanging from either panel in trailing position.

3. In a turn-about fishing garment, a front panel, a back panel free from fixed connection with the front panel along the sides, and a pair of flexible independent connecting means respectively located at the two sides of the tops of the panels, each connecting means comprising a ring connected to one panel and an associated flexible loop slidably extending through the ring and having its ends attached to the upper edge of the said other panel at transversely spaced points adjacent the said respective side thereof, whereby as the users body shifts and the center of gravity of the load on the panels changes the loops will adjust automatically through the rings and allow the garment to remain comfortable to the user.

4. In a turn-about fishing garment, a front panel, a back panel free from fixed connection with the front panel along the sides, a pair of flexible independent connecting means respectively located at the two sides of the tops of the panels, each connecting means comprising a ring connected to one panel and an associated flexible loop slidably extending through the ring and having its ends attached to the upper edge of the said other panel at spaced points adjacent the said respective side thereof, whereby as the users body shifts and the center of gravity of the load on the panels changes the loops will adjust automatically through the rings and allow the garment to remain comfortable to the user, and tie cords, each tie cord being positioned on an individual panel adjacent the lower edge thereof, said tie cords having ends projecting at the sides of each panel for interconnection and thereby holding the panels together at the waist of the wearer.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 191,027 Case et al. May 22, 1877 1,256,422 Anderson Feb. 12, 1918 1,711,677 Hansen May 7, 1929 2,474,752 Montgomery June 28, 1949 

